Carnitas California

I love this place!!! The food is delicious, my favorites so far have been the breakfast burritos (7$!!) but did enjoy the taco plate with rice and beans too. This place is always clean and the staff is so nice every time.

Couldn’t even believe they would make and sell a burrito this bad to us. They completely ripped us off. I ordered a vegetarian burrito with nopal and asked to add egg. Mind you the vegetarian burrito is supposed to come with rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, pico, and guacamole. My burrito came with almost none of these. What I received was a burrito filled with 50% hashbrown shreds with egg residue, rice, lettuce, and maybe a diced tomatoe. I can’t even imagine someone would order this for themselves if it was mistaken for another order I feel like they just didn’t care. The tortilla was also extremely greasy for a vegetarian with what tasted like meat fat which just shows how they have no regard for cross contamination. My bf was also disappointed with the carnitas burrito because of how greasy and unfresh it was. Carnitas were dry and tasted old. I hate wasting food but I was unable to eat my burrito because of how bad it was it was clearly just thrown together without care. I’m from California and this place does not compare to the food back home. Very disappointed.

Review of the California Burrito as an uppity gringo: It was good! I lived in San Diego for several years and had my fill of delicious Cali Burritos and this one was good! There are some different choices I would make for myself (I think the pico could have been better - seemed like it was not premade and instead onions+tomato were added to the burrito), more guac and sour cream would be appreciated and they were both a bit runny, but the steak was good and the burrito accomplished its goal (filling me up both with food and shame).

We got two breakfast burritos for about $14. Great deal! I wish there was more to the burrito but for the price it is an excellent burrito. Came out very hot as well.

Lupita cooks the BEST cochinita pibil I have had in many many years, only compared to the one my grandma used to cook !! 100% reccomended . Plus her customer service attitude and willingness to satisfy her customers, makes her and the business a must when looking to dine in or take out excellent Mexican food. Congrats to Carnitas California

The food is amazing fresh fresh fresh 😋. The location is not easy to find parking 😒. It clean inside and the staff is amazing. Love it will definitely stop by if in the area . Price was good . The fresh waters are a little water down could use more flavor and ice . Hubby ate his 🌮 tacos before I could even take a picture.

This place is hard to see when driving on Santa Fe. I got the California Burrito special. It’s steak, rice, cheese and beans covered in green chile, no fries. It was really good. Ate the whole thing. It also came with chips and 2 salsas.

This spot has become my GO-TO for Carnitas! I order the combo that includes rice,beans,salsas, cilantro,onions, and tortillas!! A ready made meal ready to serve up! Quality food and great customer service takes my money!! Colorado has Carnitas California!

So glad that I stopped in this morning for my first time. What a great breakfast burrito spot!! I used to live on federal, and these burritos are better than anything I've had off federal. The potatoes are shredded and cooked a little crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. These things are packed with cheese and tons and protein. I tried the Chorizo and bacon options and they were fantastic. The sauces provided were also great. Not too spicy but a good amount. And these things are HUGE!! Go get you some.

Was drawn by their sign as it made me feel like I was back in SoCal. Small little place but the fact that every table was taken was automatically a good sign. We could see them cooking everything on the griddle and it smelled so good. Great spot if you're looking for something in the Denver area that seems to be loved by locals.

Best breakfast burrito in town. Large enough a couple of people but the chorizo has a nice level of heat and though it has potatoes they are finely grated so you're not chewing through big hunks. I don't understand the presence of potatoes in any burrito, but if you have to add them this is how. Gives the burrito a nice texture and combined with Carnitas Californias quality and thin tortilla it makes for a nicely chewy breakfast experience.

Authentic and super fresh. We enjoyed the menudo and breakfast burrito. Great service, too.

Unfortunately, there was a hair in my food, which was really disappointing. Won't be ordering from this place again...

Some of the best well priced Mexican food in Denver hands down! I loved this place and will definitely be coming back here as often as I can. I got a breakfast burrito ($6.50) almost as big as my forearm, 2 $2.50 tacos, and a horchata for 16 dollars. It was fantastic and I loved the value for the amount of food and it tasted amazing. The restaurant is a small hole in the wall and is relatively easy to miss. The staff was kind and helpful and they got the food out very fast. There's limited seating in the restaurant, but since the food is fast to get made a lot of people take the food to-go. I highly recommend you check this place out if you are in Denver and looking for authentic Mexican food.

I liked the relleno,a lot! It melted the styrofoam, didn't care for that. The breakfast burrito was pretty packed! They were just starting their day, so getting up and running. I understand that! Otherwise, very solid place! I'd already had my coffee, and was in a good mood. All in all ,I'd like them to stay and thrive! Just a block away the burrito company closed after many years. So sorry about that. They could capture that magic for themselves. Very small parking lot, so might be tough. However I'd love to see them become a big player in this area! God bless our small business! And support them! Even if they are sleepy!

Great carnitas and Buche. Not a huge fan of their menudo. Pozole is good there. I would highly recommend.

Noticed this place here for years and today was my first time trying it. It was love at first bite! Prices are not too bad considering the value you get. Aguas frescas are delicious and just how I like it-especially the horchata- not too sweet, just right and refreshing. The burrito was very filling; large size but very delicious. Rice, beans, carnitas and a mix of pico all wrapped in a flour tortilla. The salsas they offer, red and green; they are both very good and full of flavor. I will definitely love to try more of their dishes but until then, here's a glimpse of the menu and a mouthwatering photo of the burrito

Excellent food! My boyfriend got the Southern California burrito (he's from so cal) and said it was exactly how they make it back home. I got the breakfast burrito and it was great. Service was good, friendly and quick. Space was clean with open seating.

Stopped here randomly on the way home from a hike on 4th of July and it was great! Got a So Cal burrito and carnitas tacos. Both were delicious and hit the spot. Also got a bean and cheese burrito to go which was awesome. I get one at all Mexican places to guage how good they are and it didn't disappoint. Will definitely be back soon to try more!

The chorizo breakfast burrito was so juicy. The best I've ever had. Staff was friendly and service was fast.

This place is so slow. Went in for two burritos to go and it took almost half an hour. They weren't that great either.

Amazing quick Mexican food. I am from San Diego and happy to report this is pretty close to authentic SoCal Mexican food that always seems hard to find in Denver. The hot sauces, green and red taste like home.

This is the best, hands down, best California Burrito outside of San Diego. Only one other place in Los Alamos, NM compares to this burrito!

This a go to for us locals for awesome, authentic Mexican food. Everything I have ever had is great. Breakfast burritos, the south Cali burrito, Fortas, tacos. You can't go wrong. Have always got it to go, but every time I haven been they cook to order and it's quick.

The food was good, and the service was great too. I did a pick up order and it was very clean when I went inside to grab the food. Will def come back

Las mejores carnitas en Denver, a mi y a mi familia nos encanta ir a esas carnitas son las mejores y otros platillos

I ate here about 5 years ago and came back when I was in the area. I remembered really enjoying the Carnitas and they were nice big chunks of slow cooked pork, then placed on a grill until the exterior was deliciously crispy. A 5 star experience. Today I ordered Carnitas with tortillas, rice and beans to go. When I got home 20 minutes later I saw it was Carnitas but they were very fatty and not made crisp on the griddle at all. Do you have to request that any Mexican restaurant does this with carnitas? It's always been automatic anywhere else, especially in California where I discovered Carnitas decades ago. Not much of my order was edible as is you with squares of non rendered pork fat bigger than the chunks of meat... Today their Carnitas earned only one star. Fortunately I have skills so I seasoned them up and fried them in a pan until they were crispy. I earned two of the 3 stars for them but I'll still give them 3 stars anyhow in hopes that just maybe it was an off day. Before I went in I almost placed my order online but they were closing soon so I opted to walk inside to place my order. While the price online was $11.25 (see photo) they charged me $15.12? It's possible their online pricing is out of date but it comes across as shady when there's inconsistent pricing.

Came in and tried the carnitas tacos and the quesabirria with consome. Everything was delicious. I especially liked that the tortillas were slightly toasted. I definitely thought the amount of meat was abundant. Loved the green salsa! The consome that came with my quesabirrias had extra birria in it which was a pleasant surprise! The staff was super nice. We would definitely come back again for sure!

Wish the beef tacos were better. Barely any beef, and seasoning wasn't the greatest. The guacamole was fine, but the chips that came with it tasted terrible. Card reader was acting up, and wouldn't accept my AMEX (restaurant does take it). Had to use another card. Prices were cheap, so I'd possibly consider coming back to try the chicken tacos.

This place was incredible. If i could only eat here for the rest of my life I'd die a happy man

There are very few restaurants where I think they deserve 5 stars based on 1 dish alone but Carnitas California is one of them. You need to try the carnitas mixed plate! It is soooo good and an amazing value! It's the perfect amount of food for two people and comes with everything you need to make 6 delicious carnitas tacos. What makes this so unique and unlike almost anything else you can find in Denver is this is a true mix of more than just meat it includes the skin and fat as well. This may scare some people off but it adds so much to the flavor! Just trust me and order this you will be in heaven! The rest of the food here is also really good but I just can't stop ordering the carnitas mixed plate.

Excellent Barbacoa and friendly service and for a decent price! The only drawback is it's location

This place does not mess around when it comes to carnitas! Hence the restaurant name! You can order by the pound so I decided to order one pound of the Carnitas Mix and decided to go with the combo that includes rice, beans, salsa, tortillas, and all the fixings you need to construct your taco. Heads up- don't expect the fancy, "new agey" Americanized tacos that cost $6 each, this restaurant prides themselves in serving up authentic Mexican meats for a great price. The carnitas mix comes with various cuts of pork and it's delicious. Every piece of meat was juicy and melted in your mouth. The refried beans are amazing here, smooth and perfectly seasoned. The rice is fluffy and has the perfect consistency of seasonings/spices. The only downside to this restaurant is their hours. They are only open until 3pm so keep that in mind when planning to eat here.

Delicious. Fresh ingredients. Friendly service. Clean restaurant with good music. I will always come back for their breakfast burritos. Can't wait to try more!

Just wow. I've ordered from here multiple times and have loved every item. The barbacoa is my favorite but you can't go wrong with any of the meat items.

This is a little hidden gem you'll have to GPS it to get in there but is there food good my mouth is watering right now sometimes I stop on my way to work Sunday morning if they're open and I grabbed one definitely check this place out it is well worth going over there and getting an order to go or sit down and eat but highly recommend

Came to check it out since my dad saw the article in the 11-17 August 2016 Westword Cafe Section. It talked about their signature dish, Cochinita Pibil Tacos, that my dad wanted to try so away we went. They have been open a little over a month. It is located on the corner of Santa Fe Drive and Florida Ave--you can't miss it--their sign looks like a California license plate. It is on the corner of the strip mall (next to the 7-Eleven). It is very clean, comfortable and the staff is super friendly and efficient. You order at the counter and they call your name or bring the food to your table. We had the pleasure of meeting and talking to the owner, Ramon. He was very personable and knows how to prepare some freakingly delicious food. The staff is very experienced (they have been with the owner for about 11 years-they relocated from Morrison Road). Ramon brought out some chips and salsa to our table and it was one of the best salsa's we have ever tasted (they also sell small containers to go for just a buck). Of course my dad ordered the Cochinita Pibil Tacos and we all had to try them. They were well prepared, well presented and with just enough spiciness that brought out all the flavors but didn't burn your mouth. Definitely know now why it is their signature dish. I ordered the Carnitas Combination Plate and it was a good portion and the carnitas were cooked just right. My sisters ordered the Adobada Tacos and the Bean Burrito. Both were very tasty. We also ordered a pound of Carnitas, a pound of Barbacoa and an order of their Beef Soup to go--Yum, Yum, Yum!! You can also order meat by the pound for events, but Ramon stated it is best to call it in at least a day beforehand for large orders. They serve Menudo only on the weekends but Pozole is available every day. While we were there, a good amount of people came in to dine in and also for take out and after dining here definitely know why! They really know how to serve delicious fast/casual Mexican Food at a very reasonable price!

This place is the bomb it's always good when you walk in and there's eight Mexican construction workers getting breakfast so it's a good sign I enjoyed my breakfast burrito wish I ordered two

I am in love with this place. Probably the best Mexican food I have had in Denver. The Birria was delicious as was the Carnitas and Adobada. Can't wait to try their soups. People are very friendly there. Not a large place but a true treasure.

OMG OMG OMG This place far exceeded all expectations. Everything we got was exceptional. A highlight was the cochinita pibil. I've tried the carnitas, but I still would opt for the cochinita pibil. So full of flavor, and not greasy at all. The salsa they serve with that dish is excellent. I wish I could by THAT by the pound like you can with the meat. The salsas can get spicy, so taste them before you drown your food. The food is so flavorful and fresh that you might even find that you don't need to add anything at all. They aren't open past 3PM, which is a shame since I can't get it on a weeknight. It's also a good thing, since I can't be tempted to eat it EVERY WEEKNIGHT.

This spot is tucked inside of a random 7/11 plaza, but the tacos here are worth driving out of your way for. In my quest to find the best tacos in CO, Carnitas California might be at the top of the list.

The restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch. We ordered the tacos for lunch and they were very tasty. One order of tacos is four street tacos. We ordered chips and salsa to accompany our tacos, but really shouldn't have ordered it. The tacos were very filling and we ended up throwing the chips away. The Carnitas tacos were worth ordering again. One thing I noticed looking around is that everyone else had a bowl of Menudo. Ah well, I guess I have to go back again soon to try what everyone else was ordering! The service was very friendly, but a little confused and slow (although to be fair, it was busy so there were a lot of orders coming in). Over all, I will be back again.

AMAZING! Moving from San Diego 8 months ago I was craving some Mexican food goodness. I figured with California in the name it'd have to come close. Strolled in at 3:00pm on the dot on Sunday. Which is when they close. They could have turned me away but I was welcomed and they said it would be no problem if I ate there since they'd be cleaning up for another hour or so. The order of tacos comes with 4 street tacos for $7 and you can mix and match. My sister and I had matching plates of an Asada, pollo, carnitas and adobada. All we're different and delicious. I also got a small side of guac to top each one. The salsa they give you has a nice little kick (so beware if you don't do spicy). The carnitas was so juicy and rang in as my sisters favorite. Mine would be the adobada because I just love the marinade. I can't wait to go back.

Apparently I accidentally deleted my post. This place offers real authetic Mexican food. Everything is made to order right in front of you. A hidden gem south of downtown. My friends told me about this place. I ordered 4 tacos, carne asada. Freshly made and delicious. They also offer spicy dishes with a full menu. The owner and staff are amazing and offer amazing suggestions on what to try. They offer beers as well. The flauntas are also delicious authentic fair. The place is always busy, but the food comes out on time. This place offers a lot options. Please stop by and they will blow your tastebuds. You will be glad you went and it's locally owned.

I was hoping to get a California Burrito and this place severely let me down. I ordered the California Burrito platter to try. The first thing they asked was whether or not I wanted barbacoa or ground beef. I should've stopped there an left... I ordered anyway. I watched them make my food with rice and beans that came out of a plastic bag in the prep area. What I got was an abomination. Nothing tasted fresh. The barbacoa in the burrito was disgusting, had lots of unrendered fat and tasted weird. I immediately spit it out. There were no fries in the burrito. Rice and beans were nasty. Guac seemed like cheap store bought stuff and wasn't fresh. I paid around $14 with drink. I'm not sure where the good reviews are coming from. I noticed a lot of the reviews are from more than a year ago. Maybe management changed or they're cutting corners? I'll stick with Tacos El Metate on University...

This place is way better than the surrounding strip mall suggests it will be. Tacos are really flavorful, and they let things get hot before serving. I want to return to try a few more items. The only thing missing is a salsa bar of some sort.

Lesson learned: don't go to a carnitas restaurant and order a chicken burrito. Shoulda Woulda Coulda My favorite +1 and now Yelp Elite had been eyeing California Carnitas for quite some time. Being that they're open mostly during daytime hours, we had to wait for a free Saturday to drive on over and check them out. As one might expect, it's nothing fancy inside. But it's clean, full of regulars and friendly as heck. Whether or not you speak Spanish, the owner will greet you like a family member. Besides taking your order he's pleased as punch to tell you about the menu, the photos displayed on the HD tv on the big menu, ask how you found the restaurant, etc. He will also give you a biz card. Food is made to order, so it takes about 5-10 minutes, depending on what you got. My burrito was just as promised: covered in sauce and plenty of sour cream. Refried beans and rice on the side. I definitely should've gotten the carnitas. Chicken was ok, but the namesake meat is that for a reason. Next time...

Food is amazing. Wish the staff were a bit more organized with orders. I've placed orders on the phone with a set time. Leaving the workers a whole hour and a half to make the food. Show up to collect the food and the order hasn't even been made yet. Claiming they misplaced the order. This has happened more than once. I've even tried going in to order, and my order somehow took longer to make than the other customers that came in after me. It does seem that if you aren't Hispanic you won't get the best of service. Be wary.

Really good carnitas tacos! Came in on a Sunday and there were a few full tables but not very busy. I ordered the carnitas tacos and some chips and salsa to go. The salsa was sooooo good and spicy! It tasted awesome on the tacos. Tacos were full full of meat and I ended up only eating 2 of the four and saving the others for the next day. They still tasted delicious microwaved the second day. I'll be back for sure.

They have good chiles rellenos and tostadas. I will try more of their dishes later. They also had a great attitude and the service was great!

I lived in the California Central Valley for 6 years and started just about every workday with a breakfast burrito. I have been searching far and wide for that valley flavor and this place nailed it. I'm so happy right now that I've listened to the song "Yum Yum Breakfast Burrito" 5 times.

Holy wow. Authentic Mexican food that doesn't taste cheap or cost $5 a taco!! I'm from Las Vegas and this is the best I've had since moving here. I had carnitas tacos and chips and salsa, got a hefty serving of each. The food was made fresh right in front of me and tasted very fresh. Salsa has a kick but is tasty and smoky. What's in this?? I'll be back. Soon.

Delicious. Stopped in here after a Saturday morning meeting in Denver. It was 11:30 am and was thinking of getting the veggie burrito. The friendly man at the counter recommended the breakfast burrito. Perfect choice. The salsa on the side had a hotness to it. Very friendly. In a small strip mall. Might drive by it. Worth the quick meal.

What can I say, I love this place!! Just moved from L.A. and have been looking for new restaurant favorites in my new city. They have delicious menu items and plenty of parking! Restaurant is super clean and service is quick. I came on a Saturday and had Menudo (very much recommended). I added crushed oregano, chopped onion and squeezed lime! YUMMMMM!!

This place is not good at all chilaquiles so salty I literally spit it out carnitas very hard do not recommend only thing that was good was the chicarron meat other then that it was a waste of money

Ordered a 3lb carnitas combo which their menu says is $38, a caldo de res $14.99 and a agua fresca de pepino con limón $4.50 and they charged my card $74.58!! When I went back to ask why they were very hostile about it and did not give me an explanation for the additional $17.09 they added to my bill.

Stopped in here for a breakfast burrito (Santiago's had a line around the building) and asked about the Chilorio BB. Excellent! Going back soon for more.